Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 5 March 2020
1152. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the way in which it transpired that a person (details supplied) who is deemed to have incurred an overpayment from her Department, which apparently arose from a name correction from the original; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3108/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe person concerned purporting to be an Angolan national, of a certain name and date of birth, entered the State in or around 2006. He was allocated a Personal Public Service Number (PPSN) and held a Garda National Immigration Bureau Card Stamp 4. The person concerned was in receipt of a Jobseeker’s Allowance payment from January 2014 to January 2019.
In September 2018, the Client Identify Services section within my Department, informed the Community Welfare Officer in Maynooth that the Department of Justice & Equality had confirmed that the person concerned had a different name and date of birth. A decision was taken to allocate the person concerned a new PPSN in his true identity.
The person concerned was informed by the Department of Justice & Equality – Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) on 18/6/ 2018 that the rights of residency that he had accumulated between 10/12/13 and 18/6/18 would not be regarded as "reckonable residency" for citizenship or other purposes. As a result of this decision an overpayment was assessed. I am advised that a Natural Justice letter was issued to the person concerned on 1/10/19 and again on 14/11/ 19, giving the person concerned the right to appeal. No appeal was received.
In November 2019, the person concerned informed the Deciding Officer of other issues that could affect his entitlement to payment. I am advised that the Deciding Officer recently requested the person concerned to supply this Department with appropriate evidence of these matters. It was also recommended that he inform the Department of Justice & Equality.
I am advised that to date there has been no response from the person concerned.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
